Manic Monday | Lucky Seven - the snowfall is coming!

"Winter will be colder than normal, with above-normal precipitation and snowfall. The coldest periods will be in early and mid- to late December and mid- to late January, with the snowiest periods in early and mid-December and mid-January." Farmers Almanac 2016/17

One of the most exciting times in the winter season is the opening of the ski hills and thanks to mother nature and an outstanding prediction from the Farmers Almanac it looks like we are in for what is shaping up to be an outstanding year.

The Thompson Okanagan boasts several amazing winter ski resort locations with Apex, Big White, Sun Peaks and Silver Star (listed alphabetically) and our regional ski hills including Harper Mountain in the North Thompson and Phoenix in the Boundary.

WAIT.....For those that about to pick up their phones or send me a text that I have forgotten one of our newly reopened locations... I actually have not.  I wanted to take a moment to single out a seventh location, Mount Baldy, located in the South Okanagan and nestled between Oliver and Osoyoos and who are very pleased to announce are reopening in December.

"Our Lucky Seven", a collection of interior mountain ski options each with their own unique attributes; all providing incredible snow, outstanding skiing and a range of on mountain food and beverage as well as seasonal outdoor and indoor activities that really do bring winter to life!

Yours is an industry very much at the mercy of external factors whether it be climatic conditions, road conditions, snowfall building a perfect base or snowfall warnings preventing travel.  We applaud all of our ski mountain locations; the developers who have had the foresight and perseverance to create these incredible resorts and their management and staff who passionately market and deliver on mountain experiences that have come to be renowned locally, domestically and internationally.

Thinking of visiting a ski hill this winter? Remember, on one of those grey winter days if you happen to be chasing some sunshine you are most likely to find it atop one of our majestic mountain ski hills.

Wishing the entire winter industry a great start and long season....(but not toooo long...)

Current Projected Opening Dates: **

Apex                Dec 3
Baldy               Dec 1
Big White        Dec 3
Harper            Dec 10
Phoenix           Dec 18
Silver Star       Nov 24
Sun Peaks       Opening soon

** dates subject to change check websites for current updates 

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Let's Really Connect.....

A large factor in realizing the full impact of creating remarkable experiences is having the available wifi for guests to readily "remark" and create the word of mouth advertising that is a key objective.

Recently while traveling I have been subject to a vast array of wifi connections everything from a downtown city core which has blanketed an entire area with complimentary access; to a animal sanctuary offering "blogger" rest areas/lounges with comfortable seating, multiple charging stations and of course high speed wifi access. In this particular location they made sure their hashtag was prominently displayed at every blogger station large and small to encourage its' use.

Of course there were the other less remarkable wifi experiences where there was no connection at all, or a situation I would consider far worse, a payment option for wifi that allowed for such limited data that the connection would time out after 10 or 15 minutes requiring you to pay again and again. This both extremely  frustrating and expensive.

We live in a social world and our guests, for the most part, want to stay connected and to share their travels with friends, family and their online community.  If you make them wait to tell their story about your experience the opportunity may well be lost.

Providing wifi is no longer an optional item unless it is truly part of the overall experience.  It must be fast, easy to access and complimentary a goal that should be top of mind for all tourism providers.  The actual cost to connect will be minimal when measured against the unpaid marketing that can be garnered in real time from your guests.

So here is a challenge. Could we a group of  regions, communities and businesses in the Thompson Okanagan strive to be different, better, stand apart in the online world from the rest of the  province or the country. Could we work together with our technology partners to aspire to be the most connected region in Canada?

If we truly want to be remarkable then let's do it, let's be different the best and the most noteworthy. What is the worst thing that could happen.... a flood of social media activity generated by our visitors ?

We're up for the challenge if you are .... Let us know by connecting online with our team using #wewanttobeconnected

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | The Drought and the Curse have come to an end!

You may or may not consider this an appropriate topic for Manic Monday but I cannot let this week pass without commenting on the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series last week.

They certainly didn't win the easy way and at one point in the series they were down 3 games to 1 but in the end they came back to tie the series and headed into game 7 last Wednesday night.

Once again the Cubs did not make it easy on themselves or their fans as they watched their lead fade in the late innings, ultimately going into the 9th inning tied 6 - 6. Finally not long after the clock had past midnight the Cubs pulled of two runs in the top of the 10th and Cleveland would only answer back with one. It was finally over, the Chicago Cubs heroic,  the drought and the curse finally behind them!

For those of you that may not be familiar with the history of the team they realized back to back wins in 1907 and 1908 followed by the drought when they would manage to get to another 7 world series  before 1945 ultimately loosing every time.

The curse came in 1945 when Billy Goat Tavern owner William Sianis was asked to leave the game as the odor of his pet goat was bothering other fans. Outraged, as Sianis left the stadium he allegedly declared, "Them Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more". They didn't win in 1945 and did not even play in the World Series until last week a short 71 years later and 46 years since the death of Billy Sianis.

Perhaps this isn't as much a tourism message as a life message on perseverance.  I for one have been a cubs fan my entire life always believing since I was a kid that this day would come...and last week all of the dreams of the fans and supporters finally were realized.

Perhaps there is hope for the Jets, Canucks, and the Maple Leafs after all...

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Develop what you Promote; Promote what you Develop

The woman was introduced as a Trail Blazer and over the course of the ensuing 30 minutes she spoke about how her organization, a Regional Tourism Organization similar to TOTA, had managed to bring together 3 councils, several levels of government, a number of Indigenous communities as well as a variety of special interest groups who over a 2 year period upgraded a previously neglected trail system in their region and created something that is now Internationally Marketable.  She spoke of how they were able to take a trail system that had over 20 trails, six with international significance, all of varying quality, most of them state and government owned and create a cycling and walking tourism product that today is generating significant revenues for their regional stakeholders and continues to grow.

At the outset a few of their many issues included a lack of priority for trail investment, competing groups applying for grants and funding, an inability to track /measure user-ship and resulting revenues, lack of coordination in, planning, developing,  marketing and the list went on.

She spoke at length about the "ah ha moment "  and the recognition by all parties involved that the only way to get this integral trail system upgraded and market ready was to work as a cohesive single unit, leave egos at the door and move forward collectively and cooperatively - words that repeated themselves often over the course of her presentation. They chose to share a vision, create a hiking and cycling tourism strategy that included a marketing strategy, developed guidelines for trail planning, design and management with practical action plans and produced a business case for public and private investment.

Through their process they identified and implemented economical methods for trail construction and maintenance;  designed a long term funding model;  installed tracking equipment to accurately measure usage and created a signage network that provided users with a range of information including safety and security,  way-finding,  local and historical information as well as visitor services.

Most importantly they worked collectively to ensure the trail was properly marketed noting that government agencies, by their own admission, had in the past been known to develop product and walk away, whereas this new coalition agreed to "Develop what you Promote and Promote what you Develop".

Had there been road blocks and challenges along the way? Absolutely! But key to their success was determination and a willingness by everyone involved not to back down in the face of any obstacles and to believe that the end result would be worth the challenge and would prove itself out over time.  They were committed, passionate and when were faced with negativity they only dug their heals in deeper and became even more committed and passionate. The outcomes have been significant and they have been recognized as a flagship in trail development within the region and the country.

Do any of these issues and challenges sound familiar? They certainly did for me. This wasn't a local, regional or North American speaker but rather a presenter at a regional conference in Australia last week. This group understands the economic importance and international significance of world class trails and because of that they have not let anything stand in their way in the development of this tourism products.

So the questions is...are we brave enough, passionate enough, committed enough, smart enough to follow their lead? The time to move forward with our trail system is now but the window will not be open forever and the competition in this market is growing and moving forward quickly.

Collective, collaborative, cooperative, committed....Develop what you Promote; Promote what you Develop.....are you in?

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Memorable and Remarkable Experiences

Stakeholders work together to create memorable and remarkable experiences

This past week TOTA, together with Destination BC, hosted our first session of this year's Remarkable Experiences Program. My team, who were there, have shared with me the results and I've come to understand that mother nature could not have been kinder as she provided the group with a back drop of fall colors and sunshine that was nothing less that remarkable.

It is additionally gratifying to have a fully subscribed workshop which was capped at 25 business participants. Without exception, the group was engaged and there was a tremendous level of enthusiasm and sharing around the concept of creating experiences that touch guests emotionally, enhance the overall visitor experience, and ultimately motivate guests to share and positively "remark" online.

One of the key learnings from this past week's session highlights the fact that creating a remarkable experience for guests does not have to be expensive or difficult to create and it is very often the simple and unexpected that has the ability to reach our guests at an emotional level.

What has been shared with me that two examples of just how that can occur came at the start and the finish of the two days. Greg Hopf, the Aboriginal Tourism specialist with TOTA and AtBC, explained to the participants the importance of thanking the land and people when you come onto territorial lands. He shared tobacco with each of the group and asked them to go out into the Vineyard and give thanks or find gratitude in the place, the opportunity and the potential of the day. Each in turn did this and throughout the next 48 hours commented often on the impact of that moment.

At the conclusion of the event Frank Antoine from Quaaout Lodge was asked to close the two days and he did so with a very moving honor drumming. He commented that not often do you see a large group bring so much energy and joy into the work they are doing and honoring this gathering of people was moving for him. Again all that participated realized first had the remarkable experiences they were part of.

Our thanks to the team at Destination BC, Eva Gutsch the facilitator, and Quails' Gate Winery for their facilities and service. However, mostly thank you to all of the participants for taking the time to not only attend but really engage in the process, without you there is no remarkable experience.

.....and finally thank you to mother nature for putting on a spectacular show and adding a stunning backdrop that helped generate creativity.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Meet our Kids

Over the past several months we have had an amazing group of young people in our office taking our social media and digital presence up significantly. Through a federal grant we were able to hire 5 individuals that we often refer to as "the kids" but who in fact are mostly recent graduates of UBCO. We are also pleased to have 3 of the 5 staying on with us through until the end of this fiscal and hopefully well beyond.

I wanted to take this opportunity to draw your attention to some of the work they have done as well as to reiterate something I have noted before "if this group of students are any indication of the quality of the generation coming up behind us we should be very excited about where the world is going".

Meet the "Kids"

Alex Ballingall, who has recently left us to travel the world, lead the development of our overall digital strategy that is now in implementation.  Mark Rossi, also has moved on to a career position with Accelerate Okanagan but not before assisting with hosting the Google Trekker who walked much of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail this summer as well as working on story development for our TOTA News Centre. Developing our online video assets has been a major focus for Seger Nelson who is still at UBCO but continues to work with us on a part time basis and Meghan Reading and Niki Kennedy work in tandem as our Digital Marketing Specialists. These two young women travel the region posting blogs stories and highlighting Route 97 on all of our digital platforms. Together they are responsible for the increase in our online presence bringing new and innovative ideas to team and definitely creating a buzz both in our office and more importantly online. Watch for more of their travels and stories in the coming weeks as we unfold the "Wonder of Winter" in the Thompson Okanagan. 

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | This Thanksgiving... Feed Just One... (more)

Do you take the time to consciously reflect on the importance of this season and the marking of Thanksgiving. Whether you spend this time enjoying the outdoors, relaxing with family and friends or simple unwinding from a busy summer this is a very special occasion. Unlike our neighbors to the south Canadian Thanksgiving stands alone. Fortunately for us it does not mark the start of the frenzied Christmas shopping season but rather is a brief reprieve at the end of harvest with summer a memory and winter knocking. It is an opportunity to press pause and reflect on the abundance that most of us living in Canada, British Columbia and the Thompson Okanagan Region often take for granted.

Most wake up in warm homes with access to clean water, a healthy food supply, medical care, vehicles to transport us on excellent road systems, the support of family and friends...and this list could go on and on. However if you are like many, myself included, these incredible gifts are often taken for granted and overshadowed by the endless "issues, challenges and grievances " of our day to day lives.

It is an important time to acknowledge that there are many Canadians that do not have all these gifts that we so easily dismissed. Canadians who are not sitting down to a Thanksgiving meal, who live in poverty and face tremendous real challenges each day due to any number factors both external and self imposed. As Canadians we often focus attention on the plight of citizens in countries around the world we are known to be generous to a fault, but neglect some of the real issues that exist here at home effecting our own people in every part of the country.

So my challenge to all of us this Thanksgiving season is to first step back and take time to really appreciate all that you have been given in your life. The small and large things which so many in this world don't ever have the opportunity to experience. And then consider and commit to what you could do in the coming year to help a Canadian in need. There is so much that each of us can do that takes little effort but collectively can make a very large and important impact.

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one" Mother Teresa.....

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Osoyoos Indian Band - Bringing together the past and the present

The problem lies somewhere deep in history of the tourism industry. The adage "better together" while often given lip service, does not, at times, really portray the truth that often exists within the tourism sector.

Last Friday I, together with a number of the TOTA team, had the opportunity to join the Osoyoos Indian Band and the surrounding communities as they celebrated the 10th anniversary of the construction of the $10 million Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre and its 30 acres of protected desert ecology.  This Centre, in its short 10 years, has welcomed countless numbers of residents and visitors allowing them to come face to face with the unique history of the 7 nations and 1 tribe that are the Okanagan Nation Alliance.

This facility was long overdue and yet ahead of its time. Made possible through the efforts of visionaries who were willing to spend thousands of hours negotiating, consulting, debating, cooperating, disagreeing and ultimately agreeing on a direction.  It was the dream of of a First Nations community who were not afraid to challenge the norm, willing to work in partnership, unwilling to take no for an answer and passionate in their belief that preserving the past, elevating and celebrating traditional ways, providing a place for education and ceremony, could help change their world and the world of those around them.

The face of the Thompson Okanagan was changed with the addition of the Nk'Mip Cultural Centre and is an example of a world class facility that is held in high regard around the country and in other parts of the world.

We congratulate the Osoyoos Indian Band on the first 10 years of this facility which continues to expand and develop.  Plans are already underway for a further $5 million expansion and without question in the next decade we will realize even further progress in the telling of the First Nations story through places like the Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre and countless others to come.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Don't divide... align and really conquer

The problem lies somewhere deep in history of the tourism industry. The adage "better together" while often given lip service, does not, at times, really portray the truth that often exists within the tourism sector.

There are absolutely outstanding examples of communities and alliances worldwide that have gotten past their individual egos and issues and worked to build amazingly successful tourism regions, products and experiences. But there are far too many situations where, without question, had everyone checked their agendas at the door the whole would have definitely been so much greater than the sum of their parts.

Canadian Tourism as an industry is in its infancy. But as a country we have shown the world better methods for working cooperatively in so many arenas. It is time to adopt this approach in Tourism. To move it forward and realize our potential we need to shut down in-fighting; put an end to the silo activities of our efforts; take control of our direction as an industry; refuse to be splintered by special interest groups; and work collectively. We must refuse to take a back seat to other industries continually failing to achieve our full potential. We have the power, the vision, the ability and the desire to realize an incredible success but only if unite our voices will we really be heard and will our aspirations for world class tourism products be realized...

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Flushing out new Funds!

Whether you refer to them as washrooms, bathrooms, comfort facilities, the ladies room, the men's room, the john, the lavatory, the restroom, the outhouse or simply the toilet when you are away from home the availability of "facilities" is of utmost importance!

Recently this subject came up for discussion with a group of tourism colleagues and interestingly much of the conversation centered on how tourism operators can make this room a point of difference in their product offering. In recent years everything from music, televisions, heated seats, interesting lighting,  interesting reading materials and a variety of toiletries have being introduced into what was once the most basic of locations and certainly overlooked in any product differentiation planning.

Not only are businesses working make this rather mundane location a bit more unique but social media has jumped on the opportunities around this relatively sensitive topic. Today there are a variety of apps that will not only help you find washrooms facilities but many of them allow you to rate them as well. Take for example, the Charmin Sit or Squat app, whereby the traveling public rates the cleanliness of facilities based on ...you guessed it...whether the facilities are clean enough to sit or best to squat or, for a  more highly curated offering, there is the Flushd app which not only helps find nearby facilities for those emergency situations and also provides details on special services and amenities that are provided in various locations.

However the latest app on this subject clearly proves that the sharing economy knows no bounds! Following in the footsteps of the Airbnb success there is now an app called Airpnp. If you don't believe me, look it up. This app allows individuals to advertise their facilities online and charge strangers to use them! Going rates range tend to range anywhere from $2.50 up to $5.00 depending on the extras included!

So if you are having trouble finding ways to differentiate your product or even looking to add to your cash flow clearly you need look no further the opportunity to flush out new funds is right down the hall!

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Get up, get out and hit the trails...

Have you ever taken the time to experience some of our region's Rail Trails and see first hand what we and so many of our visitors are talking about?  Fall is the perfect time to get up, get out, and hit the trails..... or if you have ridden or hiked them before, find a section you haven't done - there are literally hundreds of kilometers to explore. The rail trail grade is never more than 3 percent so almost anyone can take on the challenge without too much complaining from your muscles!

I have had the opportunity to cycle a portion of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail from Chute Lake to Penticton;  a great adventure that should be on everyone's bucketlist. From the unique history of the Chute Lake Lodge where the owners, who have been there for 50 years, are still famous for their pie, to the spectacular views as you pedal high above Okanagan Lake with all of this followed by a  mouth watering market pizza at Joie Winery perfectly paired with a glass of pinot blanc. Travel the world if you like but these jewels exist right in our own back yard. The entire experience definitely left me wanting more.

These former rail lines have the ability to put the Thompson Okanagan on the world stage in ways we have never seen. Travelers from around the world are motivated to seek out places to visit based on criteria that we are well equipped to meet with products such as the Rail Trails.

Get up, get out and see what we have and what they may become...you'll be glad you did…

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | From Summer to Harvest...

Even without a calendar, the changing of seasons presents itself in so many striking ways. No matter how long the summer heat lingers over the coming weeks, there is always a point (for me, it’s usually around August 15), when everything changes. The shift of season begins and the days get noticeably shorter; sunrise starts a little later each day, sunset a little sooner. Even the slant of the afternoon sun creates an almost-melancholic filter, and no matter how hot the days may be, dawn and dusk bring a distinct chill to the air.

The transition from summer to fall has always been an appealing time of year for me. The childhood chaos of endless summer weeks dissipates as the season draws to a close. The freedom that comes without deadlines or responsibilities gets reigned in as September heralds in and “normality” returns.

For those of us in tourism, summer months bring all of that chaos and more. We often miss much of what the region has to offer as we surrender our July and August to ensuring we fulfill the dreams of our guests and visitors. It can often be the time that annual revenue expectations are met or exceeded. It can be a long year if peak season doesn’t perform, so we keep our heads down and stay focused as the fun of summer swirls around.

While September continues to be an ever popular time for travel to the region, fall brings with it a change of perspective. One that allows us to take a breath, look up from work, and embrace the beauty and bounty of this amazing region we call home.

If you find yourself with these precious moments of downtime, there are a multitude of amazing Harvest events to enjoy…

• Sep 10 - Get Corked at Harpers Winery 

• Sep 30-Oct 9 - Vanilla Pod 6 Course Wine Paired Dinner

• Sep 30-Oct 9 - Quails' Gate Autumn Harvest Menu

• Oct 7-8 - Cropped

• Oct 9 - Thanksgiving Sparkling Brunch at Watermark

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Let it snow... Let it snow... Let it snow...

Hard to believe but winter is not far off and as you have heard me say in numerous presentations,  one of TOTA's areas of focus resulting from the 10 Year Regional Tourism Strategy is elevating our tourism visitations in the winter season.

Our Wonder of Winter initiative, launching this month,  is comprised of a variety of elements all designed to make sure our potential visitors consider the Thompson Okanagan not just for summer sun and fun but return to us in the cozy snowy months.

There are 4 key elements to our Wonder of Winter initiative:

1. Remarkable Experiences -  This Destination BC workshop and training program was piloted last year and now will be relaunched In the Thompson Okanagan in October focusing on winter tourism products.  There are three separate workshop sessions over four days plus five hours of one on one training. Participants will be assisted in designing a winter offering that is truly remarkable; ensuring their website and social media is reaching intended markets; and how to encourage guests both during and after their experience to promote the experience on their own online social channels.

2. Wonder of Winter Route 97 Supplement - available to participate in now - this marketing piece in print and online is designed to engage readers in the uniqueness of of our winter story and encourage visitation in non traditional months.

3. Digital, Social Media and Blog - Our digital team will be actively working to create online video, blog and social media posts that focus on regional winter products. Reach out to our team to let us know if you have a winter experience they can bring to life on our social media channels.

4. Product Inventory Survey - Over the coming weeks we will be contacting communities to provide us with information on winter tourism products in their area to assist us in building a comprehensive inventory. But don't wait!..  we encourage you to let us know about what you have to offer our tourists this winter. The sooner we have the information the sooner we can assist in getting it into our guests hands.

This short survey will assist us in knowing more about where our winter products are located. Please take a few moments to complete these six short questions:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WinterInventory

Should you have any questions on the program please contact Ellen Walker-Matthews at experiences@totabc.com or 250-860-5999 x 215.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | A TOTA Health Tip

If I told you that our team at TOTA could assist you with Weight Loss, Better Sleep, Reduced Stress, Heart Health, Strong Bones and Overall Longevity I bet you would want to know more!

Well...these are all of the benefits of a sport that most of us are very familiar with and one that we want you to participate in on September 1st - The annual Thompson Okanagan Golf Tournament.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the tournament and we want you to take part not only for all of the amazing health benefits noted, but also for a chance to enjoy networking with others in the tourism industry from around the region and the province and it is a great way to support the BC Hospitality Foundation who benefit from partial proceeds at this event.

Of course there are great prizes and a fantastic dinner planned but mostly we want you to come for your health and well being 😁 and you don't have to take our word for it...all of these tremendous health benefits that are yours to enjoy as a result of golf are outlined in more detail in that attached online article on health and fitness....

Already playing? Invite someone you know to join you!  And Remember you are doing it for their health...

Register Now!

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Is there someone you should invite to play?

These are busy days for our tourism stakeholders but If you have found the time to catch some of the Summer Olympics you may have had the opportunity to see what has quickly become my favorite commercial of the games. It is not one of the dramatic advertisements featuring Team Canada athletes or some of the incredible scenery from Rio but rather a small group of boys picking participants for their baseball team.

I don't know about you, but I have definitely stood there waiting to have my name chosen to join a team and unless you are a naturally gifted young athlete this can be one of life's most difficult early experiences.

The ad portrays a young boy, seemingly a new Canadian, watching from the sidelines as the team selection process unfolds. Ultimately he is invited to join much to the disdain of some of the other players. After knocking the ball out of the park his teammate queries him "you said you didn't play baseball ?"  to which his one word answer is "Cricket”, followed by a broad smile and the caption  "We all play for Canada"

As a country, a province, region or community we all have so much to contribute and as we work to understand the breadth and depth of our fellow Canadians be they First Nations, Multi Generational or New immigrant we open ourselves up to incredible learning, understanding, respect, and admiration.

TOTA is about to have it's 25th Golf Tournament...Is there someone you should invite to play?

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Best Kept Secrets...

"Best kept secret",  what is wrong with that statement? Well, in my opinion just about everything.

There has long been some kind of bizarre cache around the idea of an area, activity, event or other tourism product being a wonderful secret;  hidden treasure; uncharted territory. But those secrets are deadly to operators working hard to develop a livelihood in the tourism industry.

While marketing and advertising may be a far too costly an endeavor for many small businesses there are many ways in this current world of social media to ensure you are not hiding from your potential consumers.

Route97.net, our new website, is working hard to tell the story of our region from one end to the other supported by ongoing social media activities linked through Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and Instagram.

There are a number of ways to engage with Route97.net at variable costs and some opportunities are provided complimentary. The newly launched Events Page on Route97 provides stakeholders with an easy to upload template where you can promote festivals and special events taking place in your community or at your business and it is available at no cost. There are also a wide variety of advertising opportunities designed to meet most budgets.

Best Kept Secret or Best Known in the Region.....the choice is yours...

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | In search of 1600 great employees... really

Don't pick a great job with vacation time; pick a career that doesn't need escaping from"... author unknown

I recently read this quote and immediately felt the correlation to the world of Tourism and Hospitality!

The Tourism Industry is rich with diverse career opportunities that truly do offer something that can make you want to get up and get going every day.   Whether seeking a challenging role, a role for those just starting out or one for those winding down their work life, tourism does not discriminate.

This is an industry that can allow its employees to follow a passion, connect with the outdoors, engage with fascinating people or even provide an outlet to bring the stories of our country and our region to life. Careers in tourism can provide incredible opportunities to get out from behind a desk or out of an office and really connect with the world around you.

But we are facing some huge challenges. As an industry and a region labour market studies are indicating that by 2020 we will have a shortage of over 1,600 workers to fill these roles and that estimate may well be on the low side.

TOTA and go2HR are working hard to make sure that businesses in our region continue to be able to grow, expand and have access to a great pool of talented and capable people and to that end we have just taken the first steps to develop strategies to combat these future shortages.

Last Wednesday TOTA hosted the first Regional HR Advisory Committee meeting in Kelowna where the energy and enthusiasm in the room was palpable. The Regional HR Advisory Committee is designed to engage industry in contributing ideas towards the development and execution of the labour market strategy in the Thompson Okanagan region, and the development of innovative, targeted, regionally-focused initiatives to address specific labour market needs and challenges.

Like any resource, work needs to be done to manage and utilize our region’s labour market in a sustainable and effective way.

Stay tuned for more details and strategies that come out of future meetings!

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | ”What’s an instameet?” I asked

8 social media gatherings celebrating #ExploreBCDay in the Thompson Okanagan 

I overheard a statistic the other day; over 300 million people use instagram daily. I am not one of them…. Although I may not have instagram, it doesn't mean that I am not a believer in the platform. I think that in terms of tourism marketing there is no better platform to visually showcase a region or experience. It allows even the most artistically challenged to express themselves through images and video and connect with others who share their interests. So, when I first heard about the concept of Instameets I was very intrigued to see this online community who hide behind their usernames and smartphone screens  actually get together in the real world and well...instameet each other.

Let me backtrack a bit. An Instameet is: where a group of photographers and Instagrammers come together, at a pre-determined time and place, to take photos of an area or product of shared interest and post them to Instagram using a certain hashtag.

The hashtag being used this weekend at various 8 events across the province is #exploreBCday in celebration of BC Day!

Great photos will taken across the whole region!

We have seen incredible responsiveness by Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) across the Thompson Okanagan eager to host a Destination British Columbia Instameet event. There are 14 (and counting) organizations hosting instameets on Aug. 1st! The following is a list of the communities / destinations will be hosting instameets and the hashtag each will be using in addition to #exploreBCday

Kamloops-- #exploreKamloops
Penticton--#visitPenticton
Armstrong-- #exploreArmstrong
Vernon-- #exploreVernon
Shuswap-- #exploreShuswap
Kelowna-- #exploreKelowna
West Kelowna-- #visitWestside
Wells Gray-- #WellsGray
Merritt - #ExploreMerritt
Manning Provincial Park - #ManningPark
Peachland - #FeelinPeachy
Sun Peaks– #SunPeaks360
Vernon Predator Ridge - #predatorridge
Big White - #SummerBigWhite

I find this very encouraging. It is great to see so many destinations investing time into social media promotions. Another benefit is that some of the photographers  attending these instameets will become valuable destination advocates for years to come. Plus, what a great way to celebrate this beautiful province on BC Day!

As for me, well, you don't need to be an avid “instagrammer” to take and appreciate beautiful images of the Thompson Okanagan… who knows, maybe I will join the 300 million and get an instagram account. How does “@Manic_Mandziuk” sound?

What are you doing on BC Day?

I encourage and challenge you to get involved by:

1. By going and meeting the passionate photographers in your community

2. If you can't attend, be sure to get involved by posting your favorite BC Day pic using the hashtag #exploreBCDay

3. Follow along by searching the #exploreBCday hashtag!

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Christmas comes early... and it's a good thing!

You might think this is a reference to the rather chilly start to our summer season but that is not what this musing is about. Nor is it a comment on the many unique marketing initiatives that take place around the concept of Christmas in July, something we are all feeling a bit of at the moment.

Christmas comes early to the Thompson Okanagan is the launch of our second Remarkable Experiences program commencing Fall 2016. This years focus is on working with Stakeholders that have winter products (non ski).

Destination BC, together with TOTA, will be looking for up to 25 stakeholders interested in analyzing and potential developing or reinventing their winter product offering, and assisting in building their winter business through online and social media tools.  Tools that will help make it easier for visitors to research, book, and ultimately broadcast to their social network about their remarkable experience at your remarkable experience.

This program successfully launched last year as a pilot with 10 of our Rail Trail operators and was extremely well received. Their input and feedback has been captured and adapted into this years program creating an even more rich hands on learning experience that will positively impact your results.

Interested in building winter business?... Join Destination BC and TOTA on this journey of discovery and help create a diverse, robust and healthy tourism economy for the region that extends well beyond our traditional seasons.

For more information or to learn how to sign up for this program email us at experiences@totabc.com.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Okanagan Fruit takes Flight...

I remember many times sitting in Canadian Airports seeing passengers carrying packages with their coveted Live Atlantic Lobsters. These lobsters, purchased at the airport brought an authentic and very tasty piece of Atlantic Canada to doorsteps throughout the country.

As of last week, thanks to some hard work by a number of people at YLW our Fresh Okanagan Fruit has also taken to the air.

In a new program, passengers departing YLW can purchase fresh in-season fruit in a variety of package sizes bringing them right onto the aircraft when traveling domestically.   Containers have been designed to ensure  fruit won't get damaged and conveniently fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment. There is even a snack size (if you aren't in the mood for sharing) that has a place to put the fruit pits. Clever thinking!

Flying fish, flying fruit....and of course there is the flying wine also available inside security at YLW...makes me wonder what might be next?

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO